Cabinet Gets Power to Withdraw Citizenship

August 3, 1939

BUDAPEST (Aug. 2)

Power to deprive Hungarians of their citizenship without court order is given to Cabinet ministers in a bill approved by the Lower House today. Hungarians belonging to foreign political organizations, indulging in anti-patriotic activities or leaving the country secretly face disenfranchisement under the measure.

Any Hungarian who lives abroad for more than 10 years will automatically lose his citizenship unless he passes at least three months in Hungary during that time or receives a special permit from the Interior Ministry.

Hungarian Nazis are leading the opposition to the bill since a number of their leaders have fled abroad and the law might be applied against them.